Why Art Matters - Tales of Two Mermaids

Gaga as Yuyi the Mermaid It's just amazing how a song can grip you and change how you see and hear things. Even alter the course of your world. Cases in Point: Lady Gaga's "You and I" and Rimsky-Korsakvo's "Song of India." 

First is Gaga. I've been trying to love the album "Born This Way" without a whole lot of success. I *liked* but didn't love most of the songs, but one song Gaga would perform here and there simply on piano would stop me cold, but I never found out what it was or managed to get through the album to the song. Then comes this trippy little slice of Gaga life, where she's a dude named Nebraska that she herself is traveling to reunite with. She's a mermaid! A scarecrow! A bride! A country hick! A rocker! The lyrics are hilarious mashups of country/rock ballad cliches. A sample: "You takes like whiskey when you kiss me oh, I'll give anything to be your baby doll... Something something about this place, Something about lonely nights and lipstick on your face... It's been two years since you let me go, I couldn't listen to a joke or rock and roll, Muscle cars drove a truck right through my heart... Cuz you can't buy a house in heaven!" 

YEE HAW! 

But the beauty of it is IT ALL WORKS. She sings it beautifully, she creates this bizarre little world where she is believable as a guy, a mermaid, a virginal piano player in love with Nebraska, the dude. There's something about that mashup of cliches arranged *just right* that you are right there with her, lipstick, daddy and Jesus Christ. Well played, Stephanie.

  Sadko in the Underwater Kingdom The second song that took me completely by surprise is an aria from the opera Sadko, Song of India. I heard it the Valentine's day episode of Mad Men, as Don gazes at Betty while she descends the stairs at a very posh society outing. It's gorgeous, it's lush, and the melody has captured my imagination. 

A search online has informed me this uncommon opera is about a man from Novogord who leaves his home in search of adventure and riches. Classical paintings that depict the underwater wedding are lush and beautiful and establishes that crazy ain't confined to modern-era Lady Gaga. 

So, lushness, love, crazy fantasy are the words of the day. And Song of India couldn't have come at a better time, as I have completely butchered U2's "All I Want Is You" in an attempt to condense a 7 minute song into a competitive 2:10 program. Yes, I'm skating to Song of India, pending coach approval.